Page 68 - Homes amp Gardens UK February 2021

LIFESTYLE

SUE STUART-SMITH is a psychiatrist
and psychotherapist who, along with her husband,

Tom Stuart-Smith, has created a world-renowned
garden at her home in Hertfordshire.

When you plant and care for something, there is a
moment when you look at what you’ve set in motion
and think, ‘I made this happen’. That feeling of a
renewed sense of hope and energy is particularly

important right now, when we’re living with so
much uncertainty and having to deal with various
kinds of losses. I have seen this in action on projects

working with offenders and veterans suffering
from PTSD, as well as people with depression.
One small way to start is by sowing seeds (I suggest
Chiltern Seeds and Sarah Raven). Seeds give us a

toehold into the future and when your plants start
growing, it gives you a sense of momentum. I had my
own experience of this a few years ago, when I was

recovering from a period of illness and burnout.
My husband Tom persuaded me to help him sort out
the greenhouse and as I was perusing seed packets,

I started planning what I wanted to sow and the
next day I set to work; suddenly I was drawn back in.
As well as the serotonin boost that we get from

being outside and the exercise that the garden
provides, the neuroscientist Christopher Lowry
discovered that a bacterium found in soil can boost
serotonin levels in the brain. Not only that, but

other studies show that the ‘friendly’ bacteria that
live in the soil might boost our immune systems:
a single teaspoon of soil contains something in

the region of a billion microbes. We are currently
sterilising everything and getting our hands in the
earth may be important for maintaining health.
suestuartsmith.com

FEATURE JESSICA SALTER YourWellbeing Garden: How to MakeYour Garden Good for
FOR YOUR BOOKSHELF

You – Science, Design, Practice byAlistair Griffiths and
Matt Keightley (£16.99; rhs.org.uk).

H O M E S A N D G A R D E N S . C O M 67